Need Help Connecting Lenovo M14 Monitor to Laptop as 4th Display

Findmebargain on 09/05/2022 - 22:03
Last edited 09/05/2022 - 22:07

Calling all the resident computer experts! Seeking help from fellow OzBargainers who may be able to offer some advice on what I might be missing as I failed to get the M14 to work with my intended multiple screens setup:

1 x Windows 10 Pro Lenovo X1 Yoga Gen 3 Laptop
1 x 34" monitor (Monitor 1)
1 x 27" monitor (Monitor 2)
1 x Lenovo M14 portable Monitor (Monitor 3)
1 x USB-C thunderbolt dock

I have included 2 diagrams:
* Diagram A showing the M14 does not work
* Diagram B showing all 4 displays working OK using a tablet as the 4th.

I suspect it's the problem with the M14, but I just couldn't figure out why it is not turning on in Diagram A.

Apologies if I am not using the right terminologies or included enough details, so feel free to let me know what other information I should include or suggestions I can try to help troubleshoot this?

Many thanks in advance!

Computing

Comments

  • whatsthetrend on 10/05/2022 - 00:44
    +1

    Try plugging the portable m14 monitor directly into the notebook pc with one usb c connection. Use the power passthrough feature as shown in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lR5tuTawmwA.

    This should allow you to power the notebook through the portable monitor and connect as a secondary display using one usb c port

    Then drive the other monitors off the usb c dock connected to the other usb c port

    • Findmebargain on 10/05/2022 - 09:33

      Thanks for this suggestion! I didn't try this before and was very hopeful.

      Just tested this setup. Having first ensured the power passthrough worked with the M14 and laptop, when I connected the separately powered dock linked to the other 2 monitors, only 1 of them powered up! :(

  • Seraphin7 on 10/05/2022 - 09:48
    +1

    Without getting into all the in and outs of your set up, I have a 3 monitor + laptop situation running fine.

    Two monitors connect via a dock. The dock connects to the laptop via a USB-A connection. The third monitor is a direct HDMI connection into the laptop.

    Have you tried a configuration along those lines?

    • Findmebargain on 10/05/2022 - 11:04

      Thank you for this suggestion. I thought I did try this before but just did another round to be sure. So, the outcome for the last connected hdmi monitor:
      - whilst the M14 is connected, it does not work
      - when the M14 is not connected, it works

      So I could not get them going all at once.

      As Switchblade88 alluded to below, I might check my GPU now….

    • Findmebargain on 10/05/2022 - 12:01

      Hey Seraphin7, mind sharing which make of laptop you have that's working with 3 additional displays? Thanks

  • Switchblade88 on 10/05/2022 - 10:34
    +1

    Many laptop GPUs won't be able to drive more than 3 displays at once. Doesn't really matter how you connect/daisychain them, there simply isn't enough capacity to drive them.

    Only alternative is an external GPU providing an extra 4 outputs, but that's an expensive solution.

    • Findmebargain on 10/05/2022 - 11:09
      +1

      Thanks for your input which is much appreciated. I am beginning to think that this might be the issue as my laptop is 4 years old now. Can you suggest any specific external GPUs, maybe a link if possible?

      I might compare that option against getting a new laptop :/

      • Switchblade88 on 10/05/2022 - 11:29
        +1

        Any desktop GPU ($600+) with an eGPU case ($300+) doesn't financially stack up against another laptop, or even a SFF desktop PC at $200 to run a pair of the screens.

        If you only have websites/non-local data/basic spreadsheets on one or two screens, you can setup a second PC with two of the screens and use a mouse/KB sharing program like MouseWithoutBorders to seamlessly move between the two PCs. However, this doesn't work great for things like data copying since it's more complicated across a network. But a dedicated desktop with GPU would be a better overall solution, freeing up the X1 for anything portable you need.

        I'd suggest an ultrawide to replace two smaller screens, but you've already got that (Get another anyway!!)

        I'm not entirely sure if brand new laptops have the additional bandwidth for 4+ screens either - it won't be a listed specification until you actually test it and you may very well hit the same snag.

        • Findmebargain on 10/05/2022 - 12:00

          Ah, thanks so much for the ideas and new info that I didn't know! I'll definitely look into this further. Perhaps I'll start surveying fellow Ozbargainers here to share the kind of laptops they're using thta works with 4 displays ;)

  • whatsthetrend on 10/05/2022 - 12:19
    +1

    If you can get the three powered monitors running off the usb c dock

    Try using the Superdisplay app for connecting the notebook to the Android tablet separately

    The best results seem to be in the comments here where you download and install the windows client as well
    as the android app

    https://www.reddit.com/r/GalaxyTab/comments/mp7qlj/tabs7_as_…

    https://www.reddit.com/r/GalaxyTab/comments/rjeyv6/superdisp…

    • Findmebargain on 10/05/2022 - 13:59

      Oh that would be interesting to add in my tablet as the 5th display!

      I'll be interested to look into that once I managed to get 4 going. I'm really hoping to make use of the M14 (normally used when I'm working on the go) when docked making a 4 displays setup.

      As pointed out above, it may be my laptop being the issue.

      I actually got the tablet working as the 4th display via wireless second screen but I am not liking the lag. I'll look into super display wired option too but I got a feeling my laptop might still be preventing it powering up as the 4th display. Will report back when I get to do this.

    • Findmebargain on 15/05/2022 - 23:18

      Thank you for this idea. I have now connected my tablet via SuperDisplay - the wired option is soo much better than the wireless SecondScreen option. This is my current best solution!!

      The fact that I couldn't get the M14 connected still seem puzzling to me, I hope someone can explain this - if the 4th display is connected via wired SuperDisplay (or Samsung's wireless SecondScreen) and that I can adjust the positioning of the 4 displays in Display Settings on my laptop, it is not mean the laptop's graphics card could handle 4 displays right?

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